From the car park of the National Park Centre turn left into Malham village. The Buck Inn pub is ahead. Continue, ignoring the road that forks right. Pass the Village Hall on left. Look for a red phone box and cross the road there. Take the path ahead through a small gate. (“Woodland Walk”).

This path runs parallel to Malham Beck. Rejoin the road via another gate. Turn right on the road noting a finger post (“Malham Cove”). Continue passing the National Trust property Townhead Barn.

Just beyond the barn as the road bears left, go through a gate on the right onto land belonging to the Malham Estat onto the popular route to Malham Cove. Stay on the obvious path through a gate.

Go through a gate onto a flagged surface. At a junction with a lone boulder the intended route to the top of the cove, bears left here. However take a few minutes to get a closer view of the awe inspiring cove.

After visiting the cove, retrace your steps briefly before taking a short spur path off to the right. This links back up with our intended route to the top of the cove and the limestone pavement. Continue to quickly reach a wooden gate ahead. This is the start of a steep climb to the top. A gate is negotiated and the steps continue a little further. Eventually the end of the climb is in sight as a rocky outcrop preceding the limestone pavement itself comes into view.

Cross the limestone pavement to the opposite end. There are numerous paths and sub paths that allow us to do this. Visitors usually make their own route that suits them. It is possible to go over the limestone pavement itself. Alternatively we can avoid it altogether by skirting around the top edge of it.

If you don’t want to cross over the limestone directly, simply continue ascending (fairly straight) a little further. Go past an interpretation panel on a boulder ahead. Keep quite close to the wall on your left, and just before it bears left, turn sharp right on a relatively level grass path.

Continue on the now relatively level and fascinating limestone pavement plateau. Stay in the general direction of the wall as a rough directional guide. If you can’t locate the wall, simply continue crossing the pavement for now. Avoid turning left (away) from the limestone pavement at any stage.

As the limestone pavement and boulders gradually fizzle out, continue ahead for a short distance. Keep looking right and a wooden gate is noticed in a wall. Bear right towards the fingerpost. Now take the route ahead, signposted Gordale 1¼ miles). Go through the gate.

After just a few paces ahead quickly turn diagonally right. The route to Janet’s Foss loosely follows a distinct line of stones on our right. Note three rusty poles on your right on the line of stones. Continue past these. However soon afterwards bear diagonally left, away from the old wall. Head to the fingerpost ahead as the land becomes flatter.

Keep to the left of and parallel to a wall. Malham village can again be seen on our right. Continue ahead on the obvious grassy track which soon veers away from the wall. Ignore any other routes until a tarmac road (Malham Rakes) which isn’t far away now. The path keeps fairly level and straight and rejoins another wall on the right. Walk loosely parallel to the wall. Climb a ladder stile that takes us to the aforementioned road.

Cross the minor road (turn right for a direct road walk into Malham) and head through a gate almost opposite. A fingerpost states Gordale ¾mile.

The hard-standing path is easy to follow as it begins to descend in gradual stages. The still surfaced path levels for a while, passing a barn before reaching a gate in a wall to our right. A sign on the gate” No Public Access” makes it clear this is not the route a. Continue on the descending route which suddenly curves sharp right and goes through a wooden gate. Proceed to a fingerpost ahead signed “Gordale”. Turn right here to go through a gate. Head down some steps to join a grassy path through a field. Go diagonally across the field on a well worn path towards a gate. Go through the gate to walk down a descending grassy path close to a wall on the left. Soon a road (Gordale Lane) is visible. The path bears left following the wall leaving the field through a kissing gate in the wall in front. Turn right on to the bridge lay by, where a catering van is often situated during busier periods. Continue a few paces to reach the road.

Turn right onto the road for approximately one minute of road walking. As the road bears right you will notice a gate to our left. A fingerpost states “Riverside Path” Malham 1½ miles. Take this path, through the gate towards Janet’s Foss waterfall. The short and well-used path quickly reaches the top of the Foss. The surfaced path continues ahead. There is a short, quite steep and rocky drop and care is needed here when conditions are damp underfoot. Then the magnificent waterfall appears.

Once you have taken in the view, proceed on the obvious path. Again care is needed. Gordale Beck is to the left. Pass a coin tree lying prostrate along the pleasant waterside path. The route is easy and flat and shouldn’t give any problems. Pass a second prostrate coin tree. The next few minutes are now straightforward with little explanation needed. Simply stay on the surfaced path.

You will reach a fingerpost near Mires Barn highlighting the Pennine Way (PW) long distance footpath. The remainder of the walk follows this route to Malham. Follow the waymarker as it point’s right for a straightforward finish to (Malham ¼ mile). Continue along the surfaced path.

The path becomes stone paved in typical (PW) fashion, as it leads to a gate. Go through the gate, into a field. Continue ahead for a pleasant waterside stroll, through another gate before reaching a ford. Continue to quickly reach a stone bridge on our left. Cross the bridge to reach the road to head back directly to the National Park Centre, just around the corner. However, to head into the centre of the village, ignore the bridge and simply continue ahead.